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Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

hello everyone. i'm new to linux and i have just configured a dual-boot of win XP and Ubuntu 8.10. i was trying to install the drivers for my vid card (ATI Radeon 9550) and i get the error:Can't open ./ati-driver-installer-9.2-x86.x86_64.run. please forgive me for being so clueless, but i was simply using the instructions from ATI website. i was thinking maybe i had to completely remove the ati packages from synaptec, but i was afraid i would mess up something. all the info i've read seems very confusing because i'm used to click-here-and-we'll-do-the-rest windows software. ANY helpful links or advise would be greatly appreciated. i'm studying all i can on operating command lines right now, and i really want to get the hang of this OS. thanks in advance, 10/4
MSI MS 6741 mobo
AMD64 3000 2.0 GH
1 GB DDR
ATI Radeon 9550 AGP (256 MB)
Creative Soundblaster Audigy 24 Bit
Western Digital 80 GB SATA

"if it weren't for sea-sickness, everyone would be a sailor." -Charles Darwin

First of all, welcome to Linux Questions. Second welcome to the happy club of ATI Radeon 9550 users. Here's how you install the proprietary driver that you downloaded from the ati site.
1. Make sure the ati-driver-installer... file is executable. Open a terminal and go to the folder where the ati-driver-installer is located. 2. Then execute the following command:

Code:

chmod ugoa+x ati-driver-installer-9.2-x86.x86_64.run

That will insure the installer is executable. Next, still at the command line execute this command:

Code:

sudo ./ati-driver-installer-9.2-x86.x86_64.run

In principle, that should run a script that installs the driver for you. If you have problems report them here. Be sure to pay attention to what's going on and note down any error messages you may receive. If you want to be absolutely up to date, there is a 9.3 installer that was just released a day or two ago. I don't think it makes a lot of difference, so if it's too much trouble getting the latest one, you'll be fine with 9.2.
Good luck,
jdk

hello again. i put the driver in a created folder called ATI when i navigate to it and put in the command i get:
parham@parham-desktop:~/Desktop/ATI$ chmod ugoa+x ati-driver-installer-9.2-x86.x86_64.run
chmod: cannot access `ati-driver-installer-9.2-x86.x86_64.run': No such file or directory
parham@parham-desktop:~/Desktop/ATI$

if i use ls command i can see the driver, but still can't execute a command on it. i guess i just need to study command line navigation a little more. if it's something silly god bless you for pointing it out.
thanks, 10/4

should i have purged all video drivers BEFORE i installed the new drivers? (like in windows). i'm getting the ati catalyst control, but it doesn't let me control the advanced 3-d options such an anisotropic filtering and anti-aliasing. thanks for your patience. this is sooo fun. i'm addicted and learning all i can squeeze in my brain.

should i have purged all video drivers BEFORE i installed the new drivers? (like in windows). i'm getting the ati catalyst control, but it doesn't let me control the advanced 3-d options such an anisotropic filtering and anti-aliasing. thanks for your patience. this is sooo fun. i'm addicted and learning all i can squeeze in my brain.

That's the spirit! Yes, you do need to remove the residues of previous installs. For example, I need to remove the fglrx folder from /usr/src/modules before going head with a new installation.

ATI is producing a new driver every month so if you are obsessive like me you can practice installing the module every month also and that way, after a few months it will become second nature.
Have fun with ppracer and neverputt.
jdk

parham@parham-desktop:~/Desktop/ATI$ ls -l ati-driver-installer-9-3-x86.x86_64.run
-rwxr-xr-x 1 parham parham 84841550 2009-03-31 00:46 ati-driver-installer-9-3-x86.x86_64.run
second command yeilded:
parham@parham-desktop:~/Desktop/ATI$ sudo ugoa+x ati-driver-installer-9-3-x86.x86_64.run
sudo: ugoa+x: command not found
parham@parham-desktop:~/Desktop/ATI$
my framerate increased with a driver specifically packaged for ubunutu 8.10, but the gears looked jerky. results of the gears test were ~110.00 FPS over 5 second interval.
when i tried to remove the original drivers i lost my desktop and had to invoke recovery option from start screen. really thought i had it.
10/4

parham@parham-desktop:~/Desktop/ATI$ ls -l ati-driver-installer-9-3-x86.x86_64.run
-rwxr-xr-x 1 parham parham 84841550 2009-03-31 00:46 ati-driver-installer-9-3-x86.x86_64.run
second command yeilded:
parham@parham-desktop:~/Desktop/ATI$ sudo ugoa+x ati-driver-installer-9-3-x86.x86_64.run
sudo: ugoa+x: command not found
parham@parham-desktop:~/Desktop/ATI$
my framerate increased with a driver specifically packaged for ubunutu 8.10, but the gears looked jerky. results of the gears test were ~110.00 FPS over 5 second interval.
when i tried to remove the original drivers i lost my desktop and had to invoke recovery option from start screen. really thought i had it.
10/4

Were you benchmarking with fgl_glxgears or glxgears? My results are as follows: fgl_glxgears=550fps, glxgears=990fps.

Quote:

when i tried to remove the original drivers i lost my desktop

This isn't very clear. How exactly did you "try to remove the original drivers"? What exactly do you mean by "i lost my desktop". What were the symptoms when exactly did that happen? The more precise you are the easier it is to diagnose what happened.
Cheers,
jdk

6175 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1232.651 FPS
this is my new frame rate. seems really hi now. when i said i removed drivers, i meant i went to the folder /usr/src/ and deleted the ati and the fglrx folder. when i tried to go back in upon restart the screen looked like horizontal lines and i couldn't ascertain anything. one of my options was to reconfigure driver and i ticked the box and my desktop became usable again. then i went back throught the original installation protocal, installing the package compiled for ubuntu 8.10. the glxgears reading is now good, but the gear screen blinks with horizontal lines. i hope i did everything right. thanks for your patience. 10/4

oh yeah. when i try to click on catalyst control i get the following error: There was a problem initializing the catalyst control center linux edition. it could be caused by the following: No ATI grapihcs driver is installed, or the ATI driver is not functioning properly.
please install the appropriate drivers for your ATI hardware or configure using aticonfig.
maybe i need to start over or something.

Ok, now I saw your last message. You keep switching how you want to install your driver and it only makes things more complicated. You can either (a) stick with the results of your ubuntu driver or remove that package and any other fglrx packages and the fglrx folder in /usr/src/modules and start over with the ati-driver-installer stuff. I can suggest another way to do this which gives you a bit more control (it's the way I do it) but it's more complicated than just running the script. Let me know what you want to do.
cheers,
jdk

ok. i have completely screwed my distro up. i can't get to a legible desktop, and i can't use onboard graphics. none of the options after post allow me to get back to a workable screen. SO: I'm going to reinstall another distro. I learned a lot in screwing things up this time around, and since it's free i need to start again from scratch. i read one of your posts, and you are running debian, correct? i think i'll try that one next. also, i've read post after post of ubuntu users pulling their hair out over ati graphics cards. could you suggest a good version? since i have a dual boot, winxp will keep me in communication.
thanks, 10/4

alright. i chickened out on Debian and re-installed ubuntu 8.10. i went through the installation without a hitch. i installed the package specific for my distro, all the packages were installed with debian package manager. still says i have no ATI drivers when trying to go into catalyst control. i know this sounds vague, but if you give me specific info you need to look at, i will get it to you.
thanks again, p